Exclusively.com on the way to becoming a luxury marketplace

Sunjay Guleria, General Manager - Business and official spokesperson of Exclusively.com. on creating an effective mix of fashion and home dcor

Sharmila Das

Sunjay Guleria, General Manager - Business and official spokesperson of Exclusively.com. talks to Retailer Media about creating an effective mix of fashion and home décor at Exclusively.com with luxury being the constant.

Tell us about your story so far. What has changed in all these years?

‘Exclusively’ came into being in 2010. The phase saw a boom for eCommerce in India, targeting the masses. In the meantime, a niche audience was waiting for an eCommerce portal which would provide access to the latest trends and collections of designer wear. That’s when Exclusively came into existence - our core motive was to bridge the gap between the growing Indian bridal couture segment and the burgeoning demand for traditional occasion-wear with about 200 designers on board before 2013. After a short acquisition by Myntra, Exclusively.com was bought back and started its independent operations.

2014 was a year of milestones as we introduced veteran designers on the website and started powering their eCommerce initiatives, shipping in India, ‘off the runway collection to your closet’ and introducing boutiques.

With 2015 came the most active phase for us - Exclusively.in was acquired by India’s largest online marketplace, Snapdeal, becoming Exclusively.com.

The website announced its collaboration with master couturier Manish Arora at Paris Fashion Week too. After creating an online ecosystem for Indian fashion, we announced the launch of our home decor vertical, featuring some of India’s best-loved luxury home labels like Klove Studio, Apartment 9, Sarita Handa, Devi Design, Niana and Shades of India.

With the rebirth of the website as Exclusively.com, we are trying to create an effective mix of fashion and home decor, with luxury being the constant.

Talk to us about your achievements and what is yet to come?

Introducing over 250 designers on an eCommerce portal with a global reach in less than 5 years was a big accomplishment for us. We are looking forward to extending our endeavours into premium beauty and lifestyle products, luxury accessories and watches, exclusive international luxury brands and a lot more! We’re well on the way to becoming a definitive one-stop luxury market place.

How have the consumer behaviour trends changed over the last couple of years; what are you doing to cater to them?

The attitude of Indian consumers has undergone a major transformation over the last few years. They want to lead a life full of luxury and comfort and Exclusively.com caters to their needs by providing access to that luxury at their doorstep, be it fashion or home decor. We have tried to position ourselves as India’s leading premium online lifestyle destination, keeping our audience foremost in mind.

Are there new markets you are venturing into? Take us through the latest investments the company has secured.

We recently introduced our new vertical - the luxury home decor category. Also, we are looking forward to extending our reach into premium beauty, luxury sunglasses and a lot more.

A word on the omni-channel plans, if any.

Exclusively.com becoming an omni-present destination is one of our priorities. We will soon be coming up with a mobile app which will make the website more easy to access. Our social media platforms also help a lot in our sales. The social media channel showcases all the new launches and products in detail. Thus, a customer gets a 360 degree experience.

How are you working with the Small Medium retailers in India, what is your strategy to include more merchants in the marketplace.

At Exclusively.com, we provide a platform to over 250 designers to showcase their work globally. Besides, the brand already having a market image, we try to promote new and promising designer labels to create a perfect mix, with the focus remaining firmly on luxury.